3-desoxy-pregnenes



United States Patent 3,461,142 S-DESOXY-PREGNENES Fred A. Kincl, Mexico City, Mexico, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Syntax Corporation, a corporation of Panama N0 Drawing. Filed Oct. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 65,022 Int. Cl. C07c 169/34, 169/36, 169/30 US. Cl. 260----397.4 15 Claims The present invention relates to novel cyclopentanophenanthrene compounds and to a novel process for the production thereof.

More particularly the present invention relates to novel 3-desoxy progestational derivatives and more specifically to novel 3-desoxy-17a-acyloxy-A -pregnene 3,20 diones and 3 desoxy-l7a-acyloxy-A -pregnadiene-3,20-diones which may also contain a methyl or halogen substituent at C-6.

The novel compounds of the present invention which exhibit progestational, anti-ovulatory and anti-estrogenic activity with minimal or no androgenic effect are represented by the following formulas:

In the above formulas, R represents hydrogen or methyl; R represents hydrogen, methyl or fluorine; R represents hydrogen, chlorine, methyl or fluorine; R represents hydrogen, a-rnethyl orb-methyl and when R is methyl, R is methyl; R represents hydrogen or the acyl group of a. hydrocarbon carboxylic acid of less than 12 carbon atoms which may be saturated or unsaturated, of straight, branched, cyclic or cyclic-aliphatic chain, aromatic and may be substituted by functional groups such as hydroxy, alkoxy containing up to carbon atoms, acyloxy containing up to 12 carbon atoms, nitro, amino or halogen. Typical ester groups are the acetate, propionate, enanthate, benzoate,. trimethylacetate, t-butylacetate, phenoxyacetate, cyclopentylpropionate, aminoacetate and fl-chloropropionate.

,The novel compounds of the presentvinvention may be prepared in part by a process illustrated by the following equations: I

"ice

In the above formulas, R, R, R and R have the same meaning as previously described.

In practicing the process outlined above, a l7a-acyloxy progesterone, preferably the acetate or caproate (I), or the -dehydro derivative thereof (Ia) is refluxed with ethane-1,2-dithiol and boron trifluoride ether ate complex for a period of time of the order of one half hour to form the 3-monoethylene mercaptal (II or Ila). The latter derivative is then selectively hydrogenolyzed as by refluxing with Raney nickel in a solvent such as acetone or methanol to elfect removal of the dithioketal moiety to form the 3-desoxy derivative (III or IIIa).

The above described reaction sequence may also be employed using the free 17a-l'lYdIOXY pregnan derivatives; in cases where there are formed the corresponding 3,20- dimercaptals and 3-monomercaptals, these are separated by conventional means, such as for example crystallization, chromatography or counter-current distribution and the 3-monomercaptals are employed for the reaction as above described.

Alternatively, the free 17a-hydroxy compounds may be obtained by saponifying the esters of these compounds by conventional means, as for example by treatment with In the above formulas, R, R and R have the same meaning as previously set forth.

In practicing the process outlined above, a 17a-hydroxy or 17a-acyloxy-A' -pregnadien-20-one (IIIa) is reacted with one equivalent of a peracid such as permonophthalic acid in chloroform at about C. Upon treatment of the epoxide with 2 molar equivalents of hydrogen chloride in glacial acetic acid, the epoxide ring is opened and there is added the elements of hydrogen and chlorine to form the chlorohydrin (V). By reaction with thionyl chloride in pyridine solution at room temperature, dehydration at C-7 is effected and there is formed the 6-chloro-17ahydroxy or 6-chloro-17a-acyloxy-A -pregnadiene-20-one compound (VI).

The following examples serve to illustrate but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention:

Example I A mixture of 1 g. of 17u-acetoxy progesterone, cc. of acetic acid, 0.5 cc. of ethylene dithiol and 0.5 cc. of boron trifluoride-etherate was refluxed for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was cooled and the thioketal which crystallized was separated, washed with methanol and dried. Crystallization from methylene chloride-methanol gave the pure compound, M.P. 274280.

200 mg. of the above compound and 3.5 g. of Raney nickel were suspended in 20 cc. of acetone and then refluxed for 24 hours. The Raney nickel was removed by filtration and the filtrate was concentrated to dryness. Crystallization of the residue from methylene chloridemethanol afforded 3-desoxy-17a-acetoxy progesterone, M.P. 176-180 C.

Example II By substituting in the method of Example I the 170;- acetoxy progesterone by the caproate of A -pregnen-17aol-3,20-dione, there was afforded the caproate of 3-desoxyl7a-hydroxy-progesterone.

Example III By following the method described in Example I, 6amethyl-17a-acetoxy progesterone was converted into the 3-monodithioketal and finally into 6ot-methyl-A -pregnen- 17a-ol-20-one acetate.

Example IV By applying the method of Example I to 19-1'10r-l7uacetoxy progesterone there was finally afforded l9-nor- A -pregnen-l7a-ol 20-one acetate.

Example V By substituting in the method of Example I the 170:- acetoxy progesterone by 6a-fluoro-l7a-propionoxy-progesterone, there was obtained 6a-fiuoro-l7ot-propionoxy-A pregnen-ZO-one.

- Example VI 1 By substituting in the method of Example I the 17stacetoxy progesterone by 6-methyl-A -pregnadien-l7ot-ol- 3,20-dione acetate, there was finally obtained 6-methyl- A -pregnadien-17a-ol-20-one acetate.

Example VII The method described in Example I was applied to 1704- propionoxy-A -pregnadiene-3,20-dione and to the corresponding l9-nor derivative thereof and there was obtained 17e-propionoxy-A -pregnadien-ZO-one and 17a-propionoxy-l9-nor-A -pregnadien 20-one.

Example VIII By substituting in Example I the 17a-acetoxy progesterone by 6-fluoro-A -pregnadien-l7a-ol-3,20-dione acetate, and following the method described in such example, there was afforded 6-fluoro-A -pregnadien-l7a-ol-20-one acetate.

The 6-fluoro-A -pregnadien-17a-ol-3,20-dione acetate was prepared by refluxing 1 part of 6a-fiuoro-l7a-acetoxyprogesterone with 2 parts of chloranil and 50 parts of tertiary butanol for 8 hours. The mixture was cooled, the excess of chloranil was filtered and washed with ethyl acetate and the organic extracts washed with a 10% cold aqueous sodium hydroxide solution until the washings were colorless. It was then dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and the ethyl acetate was evaporated. Recrystallization from methylene chloride-ether afforded 6-fluoro- 17oz-acetoxy-A -pregnadiene-3,20-dione.

Example IX To a solution of 0.01 mol of l7a-acetoxy-A -pre nadien-20one in 100 cc. of methylene chloride, there was added cc. of chloroform solution containing 1 molar equivalent of monoperphthalic acid and the mixture was maintained at 0 C. for 24 hours; it was then washed with a 5% aqueous solution of sodium carbonate and then with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated to incipient crystallization. The mixture was cooled, the precipitate was filtered, air dried and purified by crystallization affording the 6a,7a-oxido-17a-acetoxy-A -pregnen-20-one.

To a suspension of 1 part of the 60:, 7ot-oxido compound in 10 parts of glacial acetic acid, there was added 2 molar equivalents of concentrated hydrochloric acid and the mixture was heated on the steam bath for 20 minutes. The resulting dark solution was poured into ice-salt water, the formed precipitate collected, washed well with water to neutral, dried and purified by crystallization, affording 6p-chloro-7a-hydroxy 17a acetoxy- M-pregnen-ZO-one.

1 cc. of thionyl chloride was added to a solution of 250 mg. of the latter compound in 5 cc. of pyridine. After standing at room temperature for about 30 minutes, water was added and the product was isolated with ether. The combined ether extracts were washed with 2 N hydrochloric acid, water, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to afford 6-chloro-17a-acetoxy A pregnadien-ZO-one.

Example X A mixture of mg. of 3-desoxy-17a-acetoxy progesterone obtained as described in Example I, and 5 cc. of a 5% methanolic potassium hydroxide solution was refluxed for 2 hours, cooled, neutralized with acetic acid and poured into ice-salt Water. The solid was collected by filtration and recrystallized from acetonehexane thus producing A -pregnen-17a-ol-20-one.

In a similar manner, 6a-methyl-A -pregnen-17u-ol-2O- one acetate, 19-nor-A -pregnen-17a-ol-20-one acetate and 6-fluoro-A -pregnadien-17a-o1-20-0ne acetate gave the corresponding free compounds.

I Claim:

1. A compound of the following formula:

R l i wherein R is hydrogen; R is selected from the group consisting of methyl and fluorine and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon carboxylic acyl group of less than 12 carbon atoms.

2. 'A compound of the formula 8. The hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters of less than 12 carbon atoms of 6a-fluoro-A -pregnen-17a-o1-20-one.

9. A compound of the following formula:

wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon carboxylic acyl group of less than 12 carbon atoms; and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, fluorine and chlorine.

10. A -pregnadien-17a-ol-20-one.

12. The hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters of less than 12 carbon atoms of A -pregnadien-l7a-ol-20-one.

13. The hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters of less than 12 carbon atoms of 6-methyl-A -pregnadien-1704-01- 20-one.

14. The hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters of less than 12 carbon atoms of 6-fluoro-A -pregnadien-17a-ol- 20-one.

15. The hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters of less than 12 carbon atoms of 6-chloro-A -pregnadien-17a-o1- 20-one.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,878,267 3/ 1959 Szpilfogel et al. 260397.3 2,882,282 4/1959 Agnello et al 260-3973 3,014,936 12/1961 Mancera et al. 260397.45 3,019,240 1/1962 Bowers et al. 260397.3 3,026,320 3/1962 Djerassi et al. 260239.55 3,031,476 4/1962 HOgg et al. 260397.45 3,037,976 6/1962 Bowers et al. 260239.55

OTHER REFERENCES Applezweig: Steroid Drugs 11, p. 327.

HENRY A. FRENCH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 260239, 999 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FOLLOWING FORMULA: 